


For What It's Worth

by PrincessBunny5000



Category: Pokemon Ranger
Genre: Confusion, Depression, F/M, Kellyn and Kate are twins, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:55:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26215216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessBunny5000/pseuds/PrincessBunny5000
Summary: Three months following Operation Brighton, Keith is a shell of who he used to be, Kate is desperate for things to somehow return to how they used to be, and Rhythmi is only just managing to push forward. The Rangers of Almia feel as though they have lost their sense of purpose and there are things that have not been said, the ends of those sentences lingering as they were never finished - all proof that defeating Blake Hall and his Incredible Machine wasn't enough to fix everything, and that the real problems are a little more close to home.(Rated Mature for later chapters. Rating may change.)
Relationships: Dazzle | Keith/Hitomi | Kate, Kellyn/Isaac
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

It had been three months since Operation Brighton. 

It should be easier now, but somehow it isn’t. It feels strange to be able to get up at a normal time and not in the middle of the night by blaring alarms, red flashing over and over as exhausted Rangers dragged themselves out of bed and attached their Stylers to their wrists. It’s odd, being able to take time to clean your teeth and keep up a skincare routine and brush your hair, because three months ago there were weeks where Kate didn’t even take her pigtails out and the hairbands had to be cut off with scissors. She misses Kellyn, too. 

Kate makes two mugs of coffee as always, one black and one with cream and sugar, and she sits at the breakfast table in her uniform with twenty minutes before she had to report to Erma. Keith came into the kitchen at about five to eight as usual, not even dressed or washed or anything. His red hair stuck up at all angles and he definitely needed to wash those basketball shorts. When he yawns and scratches his head, Kate realises that she used to find it kind of adorable, but now it’s just worrying. Keith never had those dark shadows under his eyes, he never looked so pale. 

‘Hiya, Katie,’ he says, cracking a tired grin. 

‘Morning, Keith.’ She jerks her head towards the sweeter coffee. ‘Made you coffee. You’re going to be late – again.’ 

He shrugs and sips from the mug. She tries not to sigh because it only makes him feel bad, but three months ago Keith took pride in being a Ranger, and he was always ten minutes early to every meeting, let alone on time. It seemed that only person who seemed to have held it together for the last few months had been Rhythmi, and whilst she was a wonderful friend and always listened to Kate’s woes and sorrows, she was quickly losing patience with Keith. 

‘How’d you sleep?’ she asks, in an attempt to make conversation. 

‘Not bad,’ Keith lies, and Kate gets up from the table and puts her mug in the sink. ‘You off already?’ 

‘We’re meant to report soon. Hurry up and get ready, come on.’ 

Keith generally got away with being late because he was a hero of Almia now, and it was obvious to both Erma and Hastings that he’d not been quite the same since Operation Brighton, but Kate worried about how much longer they were going to make excuses for him. He barely even went out on patrols; it was common knowledge amongst both the Top and Area Rangers that he was always going upstairs to nap. But they’re not at the Ranger School anymore, and it’s not really Kate’s responsibility to look after him, as much as she wants it to be, so she turns away and goes out of the door, up the escalator to report. It hurts, but she’s used to walking away from Keith now. 

*** 

‘Morning, dear,’ Chairperson Erma says, smiling at her in that vague way she did. Kate feels an immense amount of love for both Erma and Hastings, because no matter what, they always put their faith in her. ‘I think it’ll be mostly patrolling today, but I’m sure you’ll find citizens who might need help clearing fallen logs and the like.’ 

Same as yesterday. ‘Sure thing, Erma.’ 

‘Lovely.’ She pauses delicately, rearranging her shawl. ‘Any sign of Keith?’ 

‘I’m sure he’ll be right down,’ Kate says, trying to keep smiling, but in all honestly she has no idea. No one says anything, but it’s clear that Keith isn’t going to turn up anytime soon. Some days he doesn’t even report and just goes off to do his own thing, and despite the gentle warnings from Chairperson Erma, he never seemed to take much notice. It’s impossible to believe that the Keith she knows now is the same person she met at the Ranger School, green eyes bright and cheeks pink, ready to take whatever was thrown at them. Pachirisu nestles slightly closer to her, rubbing his face against her ear, trying to offer some form of comfort. 

*** 

There’s not much point taking a Staraptor anywhere now because there was nowhere to rush. Kate knows the route from the Union to Vientown like the back of her hand now, and yet it never becomes boring. That’s the one thing about the peaceful times – she can see all of Almia whenever she wants to, and it’s wonderful. It’s still a shame to see the Vien Forest still so badly damaged by the fire, but Area Rangers are planting trees and grass there every day and trying to introduce Pokemon back into the environment, and it’s a small reminder that perhaps not all is lost. 

Sometimes Kate just sits at Lookout Ridge, the mother and son with their snack cart replenishing her with juice and cookies every so often and never accepting any payment. She watches the tower, wondering if Darkrai ever visited, wondering if they even remember what happened. Sometimes she’s sure she can see the glow of the Luminous Crystal, but she doesn’t often feel it. Sure, it fixed the problems they had back then, but it couldn’t fix the problems they had now. 

‘It’s strange, isn’t it?’ the cart lady says, shaking her head at the sight of the tower. ‘I wonder what could have happened if you weren’t there to stop that man.’ 

Kate doesn’t answer right away, because she doesn’t have an answer to that. Of course she’s ecstatic that they managed to beat Blake Hall, but where does that leave them now? 

*** 

Roserade’s data has been added to the Browser. 

It was Erma’s idea, the race to complete the Browser, but Kate had been slacking on purpose. It was certainly on purpose – she was certain she’d actually found the location of a Regirock, but she didn’t want to capture it just yet because it would show up on the Ranger database, and she would receive more praise, and it would just make Keith feel even more inadequate. He was used to being such a hotshot, always at least a step ahead of everyone else (at least, he thought he was, and that was enough) but now that he was in such a slump, Kate knew that if she completed the Browser first (which she could easily do) then he’d just end up being upset. It made Kate angry that he wasn’t even trying, because he was so capable of actually beating her, but she was determined to be more understanding than Rhythmi and give him a little bit of a head start. 

Keith had always been running ahead, but now it felt like he was lagging behind, and she was sprinting away, leaving him behind. 

***

‘What’s going on with you, Kate?’ Rhythmi asks at lunch, throwing her sandwich down on the table. ‘You look so depressed. Is this still about Keith?’ 

Kate shrugs. ‘Maybe. He’s not… he’s not the same, Rhythmi. Operation Brighton changed him.’ 

‘It changed all of us, Kate. But it’s our duty to keep going. We owe the people that much.’ 

She knew that Rhythmi was right – she really was, but she also wasn’t the one who nearly died. She wasn’t the one hanging onto the wings of a manic Staraptor at the top of Almia’s tallest tower – but then, Sven and Wendy seemed fine. Kate picked at her sandwich, sighing because there was tomato in it and she hated tomato in sandwiches. 

‘I just really hope he’s okay, Rhythmi. You know we can’t talk to him about it – he gets so weird and closed up about it.’ 

‘You’ve tried, Kate. I’ve tried. We can’t beat ourselves up about it.’ 

‘I just…’ She sighs and pushes the sandwich away from her. She thinks of the day she traded the Yellow Gem for Keith, the sand in her eyes, her hair flying as Heath took off in his helicopter, air whipping against her face. She’d still trade anything for Keith. That would never change. But he wasn’t really Keith anymore, just an empty shell of the man he used to be. ‘I thought peace would be easier, Rhythmi,’ she confesses. 

That’s when Rhythmi’s façade falls, and she sighs heavily and reaches for Kate’s hand. ‘Me too. Every day I watch you and Keith leave the Union and I’m afraid that we’re going to get one of those calls again, like that time he got captured – idiot,’ she adds, rubbing her forehead. ‘I don’t know what to say, Kate. We just have to keep going, and that includes Keith too. The moment we all start slacking is when something goes wrong again.’ 

‘What’s up?’ a male voice says, and they both jump. Keith is standing above them, in his uniform finally, but it clearly hasn’t been ironed. His hair doesn’t look like it’s been brushed, either. ‘Why are you looking at me like that?’ 

‘Nothing, Keith,’ Rhythmi replies hurriedly. ‘Kate and I – we were just – talking about… stuff.’ 

He looks from Rhythmi’s face to Kate’s and seems to get the gist. He raises his eyebrows. ‘Cool. I need to get on patrol before Erma literally fires me, so…’ 

He stalks off without finishing his sentence, and the two girls glance at each other worriedly, Rhythmi’s fingers tightening around Kate’s a little. It’s clear from this small interaction that her friend is just as worried as she is, but she’s better at hiding it. Her uniform is always ironed and pressed, her shoes polished, her hair neatly permed, but if anyone can see through Rhythmi, it’s Kate. She just wishes she knew what was going on in Keith’s head too.


	2. Chapter 2

_‘We’re going to be all right, aren’t we?’ Kate asked, as the two of them sat in the kitchen late at night. Rhythmi was on a night shift in the Operating Room and Sven was still talking over the discovery of the diary with Erma and Hastings. ‘Do you seriously think Altru could have something to do with Team Dim Sun?’_

_Keith shook his head. ‘Even if they do, we’ll be just fine. Come on, have more faith in me than that!’ he joked, but then he saw her face and said, ‘Look, it’s our job. We’re Rangers – no, we’re Top Rangers. You know that we’ll make it. We always have.’_

_Kate smiled, the dim lamp in the corner just making it visible enough for her to see Keith’s features in the dark. ‘Thanks, Keith.’_

_‘Anytime.’_

_They look at each other a moment longer, and then they have to look away. It’s too intense, too awkward. Neither of them want to have that conversation – so they don’t._

She missed her late-night conversations with him, when they were sure they wouldn’t be able to sleep, when they knew there might be an emergency Mission anyway and they were on shift so they might as well keep themselves awake and pumped up on caffeine. She missed sharing packets of Jaffa cakes and fighting over the last one. She missed climbing onto the roof and leaning her head against Keith’s shoulder as they looked over the land they lived on, the Area Rangers taking shifts standing guard over the Union building, Staraptor landing every half an hour and Rangers making reports, destroyed Gigaremo units being brought in for examination. 

It always seemed so much more peaceful at night, where they could snatch a few hours of peace, where it didn’t always feel like the world was ending and they could play card games and bring coffee up to the Operators and researchers every few hours. Perhaps they took peace for granted now, because it was so rare back then, and it meant less to them now because it was just a given. 

Kate made it her own personal Ranger Mission to check in on as many people as she possibly could – she knew that the researchers were hard at work in the lab pretty much round the clock, peace or no peace. She captured elusive species for Herbert when he couldn’t find them (his eyesight really was terrible) and she tried to make conversation with Isaac as much as possible, even if he was always engrossed in piles of research. She’d always had a strange fondness for Isaac ever since they met, but even more so since their last  
Mission together. He was someone who was inherently good, even if his kindness was taken advantage of sometimes. 

_‘No! It’s the same time-lapse trap from before,’ Isaac exclaimed, looking frantic. ‘I should have known…’ He looked straight at her, over the glowing green barriers that kept them apart. ‘Sorry, Kate. I think this is as far as I can go to help you.’ He smiled, looking a little sheepish. ‘I’m grateful that you believed me, even though I was with the bad guys. Thank you, and I mean it. But you need to hurry now.’_

Kate closed her eyes when she thought of that moment, the moment she’d had to leave him behind. Poor Isaac. He deserved to see the end of that. Perhaps in the end, he’d ended up being the bravest of them all. 

She tried to check in with Melody and Brock in Pueltown if she could, because Isaac never made it out of the lab very often and she figured they deserved to have a Ranger care about them after everything they’d been through. Melody was a sweet little girl who seemed to have done well considering she was kidnapped by Team Dim Sun and dragged through a hole in the wall of the Ranger Union and held for ransom. She was a source of boundless energy, always yelling ‘Kate! Kate! Kate!’ when the Ranger went to visit them. 

Brock said that sometimes Melody went quiet and would go off on her own, and Kate supposed he didn’t feel as though he really had the right to talk to her properly about what had happened because he wasn’t her guardian, but he might as well have been in her opinion. Isaac was great, but he wasn’t the most hands-on brother, even after the events of the Operation. 

‘Hiya,’ she said, sliding into a chair next to Isaac in the lab. He was typing away on a very complicated computer program, but he finished his sentence and turned away from the screen to face her. ‘Fun stuff?’ 

‘Hey, Kate.’ He smiled at her, but he did look tired. Did he look as tired as Keith? Did they feel the same way? Were they both so tired and exhausted of fighting that now there was no fighting they didn’t know what to do with themselves? ‘Yeah, we’re just working on some research about mythical Pokemon. After the… well, after Operation Brighton we figured it might be better to stay on top of things like this. Just in case, you know?’ 

‘Yeah. That makes sense.’ Kate tucked one leg up underneath the other and swivels on the chair a little. ‘I don’t know, but it all feels weird now. I mean… doesn’t it?’ 

Isaac smiles ruefully. ‘Doesn’t it just. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and I want to go to Pueltown to make sure that Melody’s safe.’ 

Maybe, the reason why Isaac doesn’t go and see Melody more often is because he’s afraid, or he feels guilty. Maybe he’s scared that it’s all too good to be true, and that maybe he feels so bad about not being more involved with her before that if he starts now it’ll all get taken away from him too soon. 

‘I’m worried about Keith,’ she confesses. Isaac isn’t the most social person, but he is the one Kate goes to when she needs to confess. Rhythmi is great when you need advice, but she isn’t very sympathetic when it comes to Keith and the odd changes he had gone through in the last few months. ‘I don’t know what to do about him.’ 

‘Hmm. Yeah, I heard Hastings say something about him just not putting in the effort the way he used to.’ He frowned slightly. ‘I don’t know how much longer he’ll be able to keep it up, though.’ 

‘That’s what I’m worried about,’ she sighs, ‘I know he’s a Top Ranger and he’s a complete hero, but how long will that last? Is Erma going to end up getting mad?’ 

Isaac looked sympathetic and patted her hand. ‘It’ll work itself out, Kate, I’m sure. I wish I could give you advice but I’m not very good with people, as I’m sure you know, but… just be there for him. It’s all we can do, right?’ 

‘Yeah, that’s true. Thanks, Isaac.’ Kate got up, feeling as though she’d aged a million years, her joints sore and aching even though she’d barely done any physical activity in the last few months. ‘Have you seen Melody recently?’ 

A strange expression came over Isaac’s face, where he almost looked guilty. ‘Yeah, I go as much as I can. Thanks a lot for going to visit her and Brook a lot – she mentioned it.’ 

‘Oh.’ Kate hadn’t thought about how Isaac would feel about her visiting his family, but she’d only ever done it for Melody. Maybe, though, she had upset him by reminding him that he never made the time. ‘That’s okay. She’s a good kid.’ 

‘I know. Thanks a lot for everything, Kate, I mean it.’ He swallowed hard and shook his head. ‘I know that everyone will thank you for what you’ve done for them one day. I don’t know when, but they will. Keith will come round at some point, but it might just take him some time. It hit us all hard in different ways.’ 

Kate supposes that Isaac is actually right, because it must have reminded them all what was most important in their lives and for Kate, that was her family. For Isaac, it was Melody. For Keith… she had no idea.


	3. Chapter 3

_‘Your old classmate Keith is making a name for himself, it seems,’ Luana commented, handing Kate the morning newspaper. Lo and behold, under the big letters ‘Almia Times’ stamped across the top left corner, there’s Keith in mid-dash, a Buizel running along beside him. He still looks like Keith, and he hasn’t changed a bit, even if he’s wearing the Ranger uniform. It feels like years since the graduation and yet it’s not been long whatsoever and they’re only about three months older than they were when they were still using training Stylers._

_‘He’s a funny one, that Keith,’ Crawford comments, coming out of the sleeping quarters, pulling his jacket on. ‘I think he’ll go far.’_

_Kate looks at the photo again and wishes that they could go back again and be at the Ranger School for just a little longer. She wonders if she’ll ever even see that hotshot Keith again, and if he even remembers her._

Kate woke early that morning and lay in bed for a long time. Life seemed so much better back then, so much simpler. She wonders if things will ever get that good again, but she’s skeptical. Life at the Ranger Base always seemed so much easier – breakfasts were great, Barlow giving the days’ itinerary and Crawford cracking jokes as he shoved eggs and bacon in his mouth, Elaine pouring coffee for everyone and asking you if you wanted sugar or not, Luana clumsily dishing out seconds of bacon and toast, spilling milk when she was making a bowl of cereal for the Operator. 

She sits up and it takes a moment for everything to slide into focus as she tries to forget about the past. _The past is the past and it’s never coming back,_ she tells herself sternly, getting up and stretching her arms above her head, raking her fingers through her hair. She takes a long time showering, letting the warm water calm her nerves, then performs all the ablutions she never had time for, and pulls on the uniform that symbolises justice, although justice seems very much put into retirement at the moment. 

It’s easy to pretty much dread breakfast now. If she goes into the kitchen early she might catch Sven or Wendy and they’re both so easy to get on with that she momentarily manages to forget that all seems lost – but then there’s Keith, and it’s sad because if she makes an effort and makes pancakes or a cooked breakfast it mostly goes untouched because by the time he drags himself into the kitchen it’s stone cold, so she sticks to toast mostly now. 

‘Morning,’ he says as he comes in and she’s halfway through a bowl of porridge. ‘What’re you eating? Looks like sick.’ 

‘Porridge, Keith,’ she replies, trying not to sound impatient. ‘You’ll be late again.’ 

‘Don’t worry about me,’ he tells her, waving his hand dismissively. ‘I’ll be just fine. Chill.’ 

She wants to scream at him that it isn’t that easy, and he has people to worry about him constantly, and he doesn’t even seem to care one bit. It’s infuriating and selfish but there’s no getting through to Keith when he’s like this, and Kate knows that more than anyone. 

‘All right, but don’t look at me when Erma demotes your ass for barely doing any actual work,’ she says before she can stop herself. Keith stops in his tracks and turns towards her, shock evident on his face. ‘What? It’s true,’ she defends herself, because they’ve already gone there. 

‘Is there, like, a problem or something?’ he asks, looking half-annoyed and half-confused. ‘Like, you seem mad for some reason.’ 

‘I’m not mad, Keith, I’m just… worried.’ She tries to choose her words carefully, because anything will send Keith over the flipping edge and she doesn’t need that right now. ‘You’ve been different since Operation Brighton.’ 

Keith flinches. ‘I haven’t.’ 

‘Keith.’ 

‘Okay, maybe a bit. But it fucked us all up, right?’ 

‘Well, it’s fucked you up more than the rest of us.’ 

Wrong thing to say. Keith scowls and turns away from her. ‘You’re not my mother, Kate. I can cope just fine.’ 

‘Whatever.’ She gets up from the table and tightens the hairbands around her pigtails, sweeping off towards the door. ‘It’s your funeral.’ 

*** 

_The Top Ranger has red hair that sticks up in all directions and bright green eyes, face bright and eager. He stares at Kate and she stares back, for what seems like an eternity._

_‘Kate?’ he gasps, and she almost does a double take. It is him, the cocky kid who she sat next to in class, the kid whose hand she held when she made a pledge in front of the Pledge Stone. ‘Kate, is it really you?’_

_‘Keith?’_

_‘I never thought it would be you!’ he yells, but he runs at her joyfully, and they clasp each other tight for a moment, and in that tiny fraction of time, everything is perfect, until they break apart and he laughs awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. ‘Jeez, Kate. It’s been a long time.’_

_Erma chuckles. ‘Sorry, dears. We thought you might like the surprise, which is why we didn’t tell you. Of all the twelve Top Rangers, four are based in Almia. You must remember that if things are not to work out, it will be solely our responsibility to bear. You are free to do as you like without constraints.’_

Kate thought about the speech that Erma had given them. She had talked about ‘the peace of Almia’ that was ‘under threat’ and how it was a ‘major promotion born from an inspiration’ that was shared between her and Professor Hastings. She remembered being handed that Fine Styler, and the way her life seemed to change forever from that moment. There had been such purpose in their lives, and they had had a real reason to be there. There were no excuses, no desperately trying to find some form of aim in life. At least when Team Dim Sun were still around there was some kind of goal that they were trying to reach constantly. Kate was ready to take back all the overtime and never sleeping and shaking hands from over-consumption of caffeine, if it meant that Keith would smile again – not that stupid grin he put on because he was trying to impress everyone, but that real smile when he was really happy. He smiled that way when they had won, and he smiled that way when they stepped out of the old oil shack because they had met Ponte again, and they seemed so free then. 

They should be free now, but they’re not. They’re trapped, tied up and locked up in boxes and they can’t move, and they’re suffocating. Keith is certainly suffocating. It’s hard to find stuff to do nowadays, especially when she’s sent out on ‘patrols,’ but today Erma wants to actually speak to her – in a separate room, away from everywhere else. What is so private that they can’t speak in front of the Operators? 

Hastings is there too, and it feels awkward already. It shouldn’t ever feel awkward between them, but Erma smiles at her sympathetically and she realises what this is all about. 

‘Kate, dear,’ she starts, ‘I just want to let you know that you’re not in trouble.’ 

Kate stares at her. It’s like being back at school, not like she’s a basically adult woman or anything who once saved the entirety of Almia. ‘I – well, why would I be in trouble?’ 

‘You wouldn’t. And you’re not,’ Hastings cuts in, sitting down. He winces as he does, and for the first time in a long time, he actually looks old. Old and tired. When did Hastings get fucking old? ‘We just need to ask you a few questions, Kate. We need your guidance on some things.’ 

She felt uneasy. Uncomfortable. Because she knew exactly what this would be about, or rather who it was about. 

‘Okay.’ She felt stupid but there was nothing else that she could say. Her palms felt sweaty and her heart was beating hard under her uniform. It seemed like Erma could sense her nerves and was clearly trying to smile encouragingly. ‘What did you want to ask me?’ 

‘Listen, dear,’ Erma sighed, leaning forward in her chair. She didn’t look as old as Hastings, but Kate could see the lines around her mouth and the crow’s feet around her eyes, and the fact that she really had to lean on her cane to walk properly now. ‘We’re just a little concerned about Keith.’ 

There it was. 

Kate swallowed. ‘Really?’ 

‘Yes,’ Hastings said, and he paused a little because for once in his life he seemed as if he was trying to choose his words carefully. ‘We’re worried about him. He’s… well, he’s changed, Kate, and I’m sure you’ve noticed it too.’ 

Of course she had. She used to run around after Keith because even if he was an idiot with an ego that was far too big, she idolised him in some ways. They were always together even if they were accused of being too clingy with each other. But now, Keith is a broken man, and she doesn’t know if she should say anything to Erma and Hastings because if he finds out, that could easily be the end of their friendship – or whatever it was that they had. 

‘Do you know what’s going on with Keith?’ Erma presses gently. ‘We only want to help you both, dear. But you always look so worried and I wondered if it was about him. No one knows Keith like you do.’ 

It’s occurred to Kate that she actually doesn’t know Keith nearly as well as she thought she did, but it’s hard to explain that to someone that isn’t Rhythmi or Isaac, because she doesn’t expect them to understand. ‘I don’t know what to say to you, Chairperson Erma. I think Keith is just going through a rough patch. Operation Brighton changed us all.’ 

‘He’s gotten himself into a slump,’ Hastings tells her, ‘He’s late. Some days he doesn’t even turn up and report to us. If he’s told to patrol he barely ever does. We’ve had complaints from citizens saying that Keith has taken on Quests and never finished them, leaving many of them in the lurch when they trusted a Ranger to get something done for them. You see our problem, Kate?’ 

Kate just nods, because she had no idea about him not completing Quests. 

‘Keith is a Top Ranger now, which is the highest you can go in the job that he’s chosen. His position makes him a symbol of the Ranger Union and with it comes great responsibility. We don’t want Keith to be in trouble, Kate, but it’s getting to the point where warnings aren’t cutting it.’ 

She swallows hard and looks Erma in the face. Blood beats in her ears. ‘You don’t mean – you don’t mean you’d get rid of him?’ 

‘Of course not, dear. Keith is still a hero and should be commended for the rest of his days for his role in Operation Brighton, but it isn’t really fair for you, Sven and Wendy to go on with your duties day after day and for Keith to slack off whilst still enjoying all the perks of the job, is it? We would never fire him or anything like that, but his action may lead to demotion.’ Erma leans forward, her hand on her walking cane. ‘Or a leave of absence, if he could find a reason as to why he is acting in such a way.’ 

No. Keith couldn’t be demoted. They were meant to do this together, the two of them, with Rhythmi as their guiding light – but it seemed that no one, not even Rhythmi, could guide Keith anymore. He was lost in the dark and he couldn’t find his way, and Kate had no real idea of what was actually wrong with him, let alone any idea of how to fix him. She sat up a little straighter in her chair. Even if he had to take leave for a while, was it better to tell Erma what was going on with him? She shuddered at the thought of how mad he would be if he found out she’d told people private business about him. 

‘Keith is… look, he’s just struggling a little. We all are, really,’ she confessed, trying to keep the heat off Keith the whole time. ‘We know we’re meant to be happy that we’re in peaceful times, and we really are, but – I think it can be hard to find a purpose now, considering our entire Ranger careers have just been crazy so far. None of us know what to do with ourselves anymore.’ 

She felt as if a load had been lifted from her shoulders after she told them, because they both looked sympathetic. Erma patted her knee. ‘Thank you, dear. You know that you may come to either of us for support, or you can ask an Operator or Sven and Wendy. You are never alone.’ 

She thanked her seniors and left the room, but as she trudged upstairs to receive the day’s work, she had never felt more alone in her life.


	4. Chapter 4

_‘Go, Ranger! Go into the world of darkness!’_

_As Blake Hall cackled above her, Kate was engulfed in the darkness, and she opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out. The faces of her family flashed before – Mom, Dad, her little sister, Rhythmi, Keith –_

_‘KATE!’_

_A shadow was cast over her and something akin to a large claw gripped onto the back of her jacket, yanking her roughly upwards, the soles of her boots just skimming the black swirling mist that Darkrai had created. The Darkrai itself was still under complete control of the Incredible Machine, looking as if it was in pain._

_Kate dropped down onto metal, just about managing to land on her feet. Keith’s Staraptor landed beside her, wings flapping. Keith himself was shaking his head, his face almost green._

_‘That was close, Kate.’ He blinked and snapped out of his stupor. ‘Look, give me the Yellow Gem so I can join Sven and Wendy. We’re going to do this, Kate. We’re going to win.’_

_‘I know,’ she manages, slipping her hand into the pocket and placing the Yellow Gem into Keith’s outstretched hand. She folds his fingers over the gem and holds his hand in both of hers for a moment, hoping that she will see him again when this is over. Somehow, holding Keith’s hand makes her feel stronger, and gives her the determination she needs to be able to defeat Blake Hall. There are so many things that have not been said, and if Operation Brighton doesn’t succeed, she’ll never be able to say them._

_‘You’ll defeat Darkrai, Kate,’ Keith tells her, clinging back for a second. ‘If anyone can, it’s you.’_

_‘I’m not going to defeat it. I’m going to befriend it.’_

_‘That’s the spirit!’ Keith gives her a thumbs-up. ‘Let’s both be safe, okay?’_

_As Staraptor readies itself to fly and he clutches the Yellow Gem in his slippery hand, Kate can’t stand it anymore. There’s a chance that she might not make it, and if just a slip of that chance exists, she has to let Keith know – she has to let him know how much he means to her._

_‘Keith-’ she begins to call, but he cuts her off._

_‘Yeah, I know,’ he replies, his face falling. ‘Me too.’_

_He leans forward and kisses her hurriedly, then tugs on Staraptor’s feathers, and he’s gone._

Kate lies awake for a long time that night. Her cheeks burn when she thinks of that kiss, because even if it was very short and devoid of much passion or anything, but it was the desperation of the moment, the fact that there was a chance they might not see the other again. What had that kiss meant? What had it meant to Keith, and what did it mean to her? Had it just been one of those things that they did because they were scared at that exact point in time, or had it had more meaning? It must have done, because there had been a follow-up… 

*** 

As Kate buttons and zips herself into her uniform that morning, she has a funny feeling about something – she’s not quite sure what it is, but it has to be something. 

Keith doesn’t show up for breakfast at all, so she eats alone and tries to write out a quick postcard for her little sister so her family won’t think that she’s totally forgotten about them or anything. In all honesty, she has a lot of time to go and visit them nowadays, but she’s afraid of them seeing her like this. To the outside world, Kate is fit and healthy and positively glowing, but her mother would be able to spot the fact she had gone down a clothes size sure enough, and her father would say she looked peaky. She didn’t want to worry them – more so, she didn’t want to disappoint them. 

‘It’s all right, Kate,’ she told herself as she left the sleeping quarters and switched her Styler on. ‘It’ll be fine.’ 

As it happened, it wasn’t fine at all. The first clue was Rhythmi raising her eyebrows and saying, ‘Have you seen Keith yet?’ 

‘No, I haven’t.’ She tried not to look overly concerned. ‘Why?’ 

Rhythmi did look concerned. ‘I’m sure he’ll tell you when he sees you.’ 

*** 

The second clue was when she was sitting down at lunchtime trying to swallow down a tuna melt panini and Keith stormed up to her, clutching some papers so hard they’d crumpled. 

‘What the _hell_ is your problem, Kate?’ he hissed, towering over her. ‘Why couldn’t you just keep your goddamn nose out of my business?’ 

‘What? What are you talking about?’ she asked, pushing the food away from her. ‘What’s going on, Keith?’ 

‘Seriously?’ he scoffed. ‘You’re going to act like you don’t know what’s going on?’ 

‘Well, I don’t!’ That was a tiny bit of a lie, but he didn’t need to know that. 

‘All right. I’ll tell you what’s going on.’ She looks up at him and there are dark bruise-like shadows underneath his eyes and it’s sad, so sad, because the old Keith would never have acted like this. Sure, he was feisty and tended to act without thinking, but he was kind, too, especially to his friends. ‘You blabbed to Erma about my personal shit and now I’m being forced to take a leave of absence! I’m “under review,” which means that I could lose my fucking job, Kate! This is all I’ve ever wanted and you seriously want to take that away from me?’ 

Kate stood up, her legs shaking, but she knew she had to stand her ground. Someone had to stand up to Keith at some point, even if she was scared, and Area Rangers and Operators and scientists were starting to stare. ‘Look, I’m sorry, Keith, but I didn’t say anything to get you in trouble. It’s for the best that you take time off, all right?’ 

‘What? Are you jealous or something? Is that it?’ 

That was it. ‘Jealous? Me? I was the main reason Operation Brighton actually succeeded, and I’m still doing my job properly now, Keith, so I suggest you buck up your ideas before you get chucked out, which won’t be my fault. It’ll be yours.’ 

She stalked off, leaving Keith and her stupid panini behind. 

*** 

Kate was shaking with anger. She’d tried to help Keith so many times but he’d never co-operate with her. He was so quick to jump down her throat and it wasn’t fair, because he’d never speak to Rhythmi like that, mostly because he was still a little afraid of her. Did he seriously think she would be jealous of him? Did he honestly think he was better than her? Well, she’d show him. 

It was still early in the day. A captured Staraptor could get her to the Ranger Depot in Pueltown in little to no time at all, and she could recharge her Styler there before the next part of her journey. 

‘Kate! Kate!’ Melody bounded up to her as she made her way towards the harbour. ‘Have you come to play with me?’ 

‘Not today, darling, but I promise some time this week,’ Kate told her, ruffling the little girl’s hair. She wasn’t going to let Melody know she was angry – unlike Keith, she could keep her emotions in check. ‘I’ve got something to do.’ 

‘Like a Mission?’ 

‘Yeah, just like a Mission. I’ll tell you all about it when I’ve done it, okay?’ 

‘Okay!’ 

Thank God Melody was easy to please for a kid. Kate jogged to the harbour with purpose and up to the sailor with the yellow scarf. Her uniform was enough to get any sailor to take her anywhere, and considering people knew her face now, she was certain no one was going to say no. 

The boat journey didn’t take up too much of her time, but she found herself tapping her feet impatiently against the boat as they sailed, ignoring several voicemail calls from Rhythmi. She couldn’t be dealing with drama right now – she had something to do. Something that was going to prove that she was a good Ranger and a good friend – better than Keith by miles. She didn’t need to answer to anyone anymore, because she always carried out her duty properly. 

*** 

‘Bastard!’ Kate whispered as her Styler lit up – another voicemail. It had been a few hours now, so she supposed it was irresponsible to not answer. ‘Hello?’ 

‘Kate? It’s Sven.’ 

She paused. ‘Oh, hi, Sven. What’s up?’ she asked, trying to act nonchalant. 

‘Look, I heard about the Keith thing, and I get it, but… Linda said you’d almost gone off the map or something, and I just need to know you’re okay.’ 

She sighed. ‘Yeah, Sven, I’m good. I’m just sorting something out. Like a personal Mission.’ 

‘What? Where are you?’ 

Kate swallowed. There was no point lying – Sven would see right through her. ‘Hippowdon Temple.’ 

She could hear the shock in his voice. ‘Fuck, Kate, what are you playing at? It’s dangerous out there – the Temple structure isn’t very stable, you know. It’s an old building. You could fall three floors or so if you don’t watch out.’ 

‘No offence, Sven, but you didn’t seem to care much about my safety when I was here trying to find the Yellow Gem. Which was guarded by a fucking Cresselia, by the way.’ 

‘Kate, I’m not saying you’re not capable, but I know that you’re angry with Keith right now and I don’t want you to make rash decisions.’ 

‘You’re the king of rash decisions!’ Kate snapped. ‘I’m doing something really important, Sven. It’s important to me, okay? I deserve this.’ 

‘Of course you do. What are you doing there, though?’ 

She sighed irritably. ‘You never give up, do you?’ 

‘Nope.’ 

‘I’m trying to find a Garchomp.’ 

‘A what? They’re hard to capture, Kate!’

‘I captured a Darkrai under the influence of the Incredible Machine, Sven. I’ll be fine, but thanks for the concern.’ 

‘All right. Share your location with me at least though.’ 

‘Okay.’ 

She hung up and did as she was told, and then prepared to face the temple in front of her. She did it before, and she could do it again. 

*** 

It was a mission in itself getting all the way back to Union Road with such a huge and ferocious-looking Pokemon, but Kate just told herself that nothing was impossible. By the time they had reached the river, she was exhausted. Her uniform was sticking to her and she wanted to scream, but she held her Styler in place and captured a Floatzel. 

‘I’m sure you don’t need a Floatzel,’ she told the Garchomp, who ended up wading along in the water beside her, and they made their way down the river in the direction of Hia Valley, where she had captured her first Roserade. She just needed Garchomp to give that statue a big enough shove, and then hopefully Regirock would show himself. 

*** 

Kate almost fainted when she exited the cave and Sven was standing there, arms outstretched, a huge grin on his face. Her uniform was still sticking uncomfortably and her pigtails were coming loose, but that Browser entry made it so worth it. 

‘Fuck, Sven! Don’t scare me like that!’ 

‘Sorry, but Kate, you did it! You captured a Legendary Pokemon, you absolute champion!’ He darted forward and gave her a bear hug, lifting her off the ground. There was something about Sven – he could be annoying, but he made you feel safe. He made you feel good. He was just that kind of person. ‘I can’t believe you did it!’ 

‘I – thank you, Sven.’ She grinned at him, because she really was proud of herself. Her arm hurt so much from making loops around the stupid Regirock, but hey – she’d got one up on Keith. Suddenly she felt guilty, because it wasn’t Keith’s fault he felt so shit all the time. ‘Sven? Can I tell you something?’ 

‘Sure you can, princess.’ 

‘I actually knew where this Regirock was for ages.’ She shakes her head. ‘I didn’t catch it because I wanted to give Keith a chance, because… you know, he’s not been doing well and all that.’ 

‘Oh, Kate.’ Sven looked at her sadly. ‘I know Keith means so much to you – I don’t exactly know what went on with you two, but I know you’ve tried to look out for him, and the thing is, you have to look after yourself, Kate.’ 

‘I have to look after Keith too, Sven.’ 

‘But you don’t, not more than yourself. You can’t just put his life ahead of yours and think you’ve done the right thing. That doesn’t count as love, not really.’ He put his hands on her shoulders. ‘Come on. Let’s go and celebrate. Don’t let him take this victory away from you, kid – you’ve been doing your job right and you deserve recognition for that.’ 

*** 

So they arrive back at the Union and everyone is overjoyed, and Rhythmi hugs her tight and everyone is congratulating her – Linda, Marcus, the snooty Operator from the ground floor whose name she still doesn’t know. 

‘Well done, dear,’ Erma tells her, patting her shoulder. ‘You should be proud of yourself.’ 

Hastings had questions for her regarding its behaviour and markings and other research-related queries, and Isaac gave her a rare hug and told her he was proud of her. 

‘Who’d have thought back in the Ranger School days that we’d be here?’ he asked, and she grinned back, but her smile faltered a little when she saw Keith slope off downstairs.


	5. Chapter 5

_The celebrations had gone on for hours. There was eating, drinking, laughing, crying – Rhythmi hugged her so tight she couldn’t breathe. As she made her way to the toilet in the dark, the chatter and laughter dimming, she heard a voice behind her._

_‘Kate?’_

_She turned around. It was dark, the corridor lights off, but she’d know that voice anywhere._

_‘Keith? Are you all right?’_

_‘Yeah, I’m good. Hey, where are you?’ He feels around in the dark like a blind man. ‘God, you’re such a titch.’_

_‘Can you chill on the teasing for like, a few hours? I just saved the world, you know,’ she grumbles, but she manages to find her way to him, and he holds her by the forearms. Perhaps he’s just had one too many beers at the party, but he was standing very close. She wondered if he even remembered the kiss just the night before, and if he’d even meant to do it. She wondered what that kiss even meant in the first place._

_‘Yeah, yeah, I know.’_

_There’s a pause, then he says, ‘You’ll always be around, won’t you, Katie?’_

_‘What? Of course I will. We’re the dream team, you and me,’ she jokes shakily, but he doesn’t laugh._

_‘Good. Don’t go breaking my heart or anything.’_

_And then Keith leans in and closes the gap between them, his arms catching her in tight embrace as he kisses her. It’s different this time – it’s long and slow, open-mouthed and soft-lipped. He sighs into her mouth as if he’s annoyed at himself, but that doesn’t stop him bending forward again._

_‘Keith?’_

_‘What? Is this okay? Should I stop?’_

_Kate sighs. ‘No, it’s okay. You don’t need to stop.’_

_‘Yeah, but does that mean-’_

_‘It means I don’t want you to stop.’_

But they _had_ stopped. 

Kate didn’t see Keith for two days after that, and was told by Chairperson Erma that he had gone to visit his family for a little while, but he would be back before the end of the week. Even though she barely saw Keith anymore anyway, it was still a very lonely few days because she only made one mug of coffee every morning, although it meant she could have a cooked breakfast without leaving one plate to go cold and soggy. 

That kiss seemed so far away now. They’d kissed twice now, but Keith had never brought it up since then and she just assumed that it had been a sort of spur-of-the-moment thing and it wasn’t going to happen again. 

Keith was home on the fifth day of his leave, and Kate discovered this when she came into the shared kitchen at the end of a patrol, which involved saving a Cranidos from a vengeful Wartortle and helping Mr Woodward chop up some logs in the forest. It seemed that there was indeed a fair amount of stuff to do nowadays even if there were no real Missions. 

‘Hey.’ 

He looked up from his place at the table. He looked funny in normal clothes and not in his Ranger uniform, but he looked a little healthier. He scowled at her. 

‘What do you want?’ 

‘Just wanted to say hey,’ she said, sweeping past him. She tried to remember what Sven had said about looking after herself as she shut herself away in her bedroom. She wanted to write a letter home, but she didn’t know what to write about. Dear Mom and Dad, everything is falling apart. It didn’t exactly sound great. No, she told herself – it wasn’t falling apart. She was going to focus on finding Registeel and Regice so she could register them in her Browser, and she wasn’t going to let Keith’s tantrums get in the way. 

*** 

The next time she sees Keith is the next evening, because he’s sitting on the kitchen windowsill, staring out at the dark sky. He turns around when he hears her come in, and to her surprise he doesn’t glare. 

‘Hey,’ she says. 

‘Hey,’ he replies softly. 

‘You okay?’ 

‘Yeah. I’m all right.’ He pushes the window open wider and pats the space next to him. ‘Come and sit, if you want.’ 

She does want to, so she hitches herself up onto the side and sits beside him in her pyjama t-shirt and shorts. It’s summer, but the air still bites with unexpected teeth, so she rubs her arms to keep herself warm. 

‘I’m sorry, Kate.’ 

She jumps. ‘What?’ 

‘I said, I’m sorry. For all the shit I said. I didn’t mean a word of it, not that that changes anything.’ He sighs heavily and leans his head against the window frame. ‘I’m just dealing with some shit right now, and I’m sorry for putting it on you.’ 

‘I’m sorry, too.’ 

He looks at her. ‘You don’t have anything to be sorry for.’ 

‘Yeah, I do. I should have helped you earlier.’ Kate tucked her hair behind her ears. ‘Even if you’d have hated me for it. I should have done what was best for you.’ 

‘Aw, Katie. Don’t go all soft on me now,’ Keith jokes, but his voice wavers slightly. 

‘Keith, what is going on?’ she asks seriously, nudging his foot with hers. ‘What’s this all about? Do you feel like… I don’t know, you’ve lost purpose after Operation Brighton?’ 

He presses his lips together and looks as if he’s thinking hard for a while. ‘I guess so, yeah. There’s more to it, but it’s hard to explain. Erma says I could, y’know, go and speak to someone. Not like a shrink or anything, but – well, you get what I mean. Union’ll pay for it.’ He turns to her and smiles, and it’s a tired smile, but it’s still a smile. ‘I’m gonna go for it. I want to feel better again. I want to be a good Ranger again, Kate.’ 

‘Good,’ she says, trying not to cry. ‘I’m really glad, Keith.’ 

They sit like that quietly for a while, not really speaking, but it’s a comfortable silence, and it’s enough. 

*** 

‘You make up with Keith, then?’ Sven asks at lunch, tucking into a pasta salad. ‘I saw him today and he looked a little happier, y’know.’ 

‘Yeah. We talked. Not about much, but he says he’s gonna sort everything out.’ Kate bites into her sandwich, somehow finding the appetite to eat today. She feels a little better about everything now, as if it might somehow be all right in the end.


	6. Chapter 6

Kate has never felt such relief when she sees the familiar face that looks so much like her own, brown hair the exact same colour sticking up at the same funny angle, the sea breeze not helping his case. 

‘Hey, sister,’ said Kellyn, and when he hugs her, it’s all Kate can do not to burst into tears. It’s been so much harder because he hasn’t been here – he’s part of her. Half of Kate comes in the form of Kellyn, her twin, her life partner. They both left Fiore together to chase their dreams and together was the way they were meant to be. ‘Fuck, I’ve missed you. I’ve missed this port too!’ 

‘I’m so glad you’re back,’ Kate whispered, holding him a little tighter, afraid he might disappear if she didn’t. ‘I really, really missed you.’ 

He holds her at arm’s length, by her shoulders. ‘Are you okay? Fucking hell, you look pale. Is that Keith still giving you trouble?’ 

Kate nodded miserably. ‘Kind of. Though we made up yesterday. I’m just worried about him, Kellyn…’ She shakes her head and grabs his hand. She can’t let Keith be the reason they don’t have a good time. After all, it’s been months since she actually saw Kellyn. ‘It doesn’t matter. We have to celebrate the fact you’re home!’ 

*** 

‘All the reports from our counterparts in Fiore have been nothing but outstanding, Kellyn dear,’ Erma told him, patting him on the shoulder. ‘My, have you grown even taller?’ 

Kate glared at her twin. It wasn’t fair – Kellyn had always been tall and broad and all-around a total and utter athlete. Of course he was going to picked to do all that field work – it had never been hard for him. He’d never had to try. Kate was shorter, but lithe and slim, and she didn’t suppose she had much shape at all. Rhythmi had more of a chest than Kate did and she knew it – but then, Rhythmi didn’t have to run around saving the world all the time, so maybe their bodies suited them just fine. 

‘I’m an ever-growing boy, Chairperson Erma,’ Kellyn replied, then threw his arms up in the air. ‘Murph! How long has it been? You know, Fiore was cool and everything, but I’m glad to be home.’ 

Kate remembers when Kellyn first went away, and she felt like she was falling apart. Operation Brighton was over, and so he was sent off to do what he was supposed to be doing before Blake Hall ruined everything, but it still felt like someone had torn half of her heart away. They’d done everything together – they even shared a dorm because they hated being apart. Being apart had made them both a lot more independent, but neither of them really liked being independent. It was much more fun to be part of a twinset, because that was what they’d always been used to. It was the way they liked it. 

Isaac had made a hasty exit, and Kellyn had held his smile, but Kate knew that face too well. His poker faces never got past her. She wondered what on earth could have happened – it was true that they had very contrasting personalities. After all, Kellyn was sporty and sunny, and Isaac was studious and serious, and rarely emerged from his lab, either at the Union or at Altru. She could imagine them having had an argument about something. 

*** 

‘Don’t worry, I won’t be bunking down with your forever,’ Kellyn said, as he flung his washbag into the bathroom. ‘I just wanted to make sure you were all right. Y’know, since you’ve been on your own for so long.’ 

Kate raises her eyebrows. 

‘Oh, shut up.’ 

‘I didn’t say anything.’ 

‘Well, we both know what you were going to say. I was really freaking lonely there, you know.’ Kellyn flopped down on his bed, which had been freshly made for months now. ‘Everyone was nice and all, and there was this cute guy called Lunick there… but I like being here, with you. This is home, you know?’ 

‘Yeah. I know.’ Kate sits cross-legged on her own bed in her pyjamas, a sense of peace in her heart. ‘I missed you. It was harder without you here.’ 

‘I don’t get why Mom and Dad worried about us so much. Like, yeah, okay, we were super close from the beginning, but that’s a good thing, right?’ Kellyn looked up at the ceiling, his hands behind his head. ‘What’s the deal with Keith, anyway?’ 

‘He’s just… struggled. Since Operation Brighton. There’s no purpose for us anymore, I guess.’ She put her head to the side, unable to contain her curiosity. ‘What’s the deal with Isaac?’ 

Kellyn jumped. 

Well, that was a sure sign. Kellyn was cool as a cucumber, but seeing him startled like that made it clear to Kate that something was up. He didn’t answer, so she threw a can of deodorant at him. ‘Kellyn! What happened?’ 

‘Nothing!’ He pelted her back, harder, and she yelped. ‘None of your business, anyway.’ 

‘What? We always talk about everything.’ Kate pouted. She was joking, but on the inside, she felt a little worried. Had Kellyn decided he wanted to be separate to her now? Had he decided not to tell her things anymore? She knew she was being silly because they weren’t kids anymore, but he was her safety net. ‘Kellyn.’ 

‘Oh, you never give up, do you?’ He sat up and fixed her with a fierce glare. ‘If I tell you what went down with Isaac, you have to tell me what went down with Keith. Deal?’ 

‘But – oh, all right.’ She knew she had no chance of getting it out of Isaac, anyway. 

‘Okay. Fine. Look, when I was leaving for Fiore, I said stopped by the lab to say bye to Hastings and all the others, but it was only Isaac in there. I decided to wait for Hastings and get a later ferry, and we talked a bit – and then we kissed. That was it.’ 

Kate stared, eyes round as dinner plates. ‘You kissed Isaac?’ 

Her twin brother went red in the face. ‘Well, he kissed me back. And then he got all skittish and weird and I left without saying bye to Hastings. It was like he regretted it or something – look, I don’t know. Maybe he’s some sort of questioning, self-hating… whatever. I don’t know. But it happened, and…’ Kellyn presses his lips together. ‘I guess it’s just one of those things.’ 

‘I didn’t know Isaac liked guys!’ 

‘Well, I didn’t know if Isaac liked anyone. I always sort of thought he was…’ Kellyn waves his hand in the air. ‘Married to science, or something. What happened with Keith?’ 

The question almost catches Kate off guard. She sighs and twists her hands in her lap. ‘Um, we kissed too.’ 

‘What?’ 

‘Yeah. After Operation Brighton. He hasn’t mentioned it since then, or anything, so… I don’t know. It was weird. Maybe it was just because he was so glad we were alive.’ 

Kellyn almost looks impressed. ‘I didn’t know Keith had it in him! Or you, to be honest.’ 

The conversation soon turns, and both siblings lie in bed talking long into the night and they both sleep soundly, because for the first time in months, Almia feels like home.


	7. Chapter 7

‘Hastings, can I see the list that Herbert was meant to – oh,’ Kellyn falters as he bursts into the Research Room. He didn’t expect to see Isaac, who is all blond hair and blue eyes and pale lips and thin wrists and – it’s a little too much to take in. He tries to act natural as Isaac clears his throat and looks up from his microscope, his cheeks a little too pink. 

‘Can I help you, Kellyn?’ 

‘Er, yeah. Herbert was meant to give me a list? Of the Pokemon I need to capture to help you lot with your research,’ he adds, although Isaac is already opening a folder because of course, he already knows which list he’s talking about. He tries to make conversation. ‘I’m thinking of taking Kate. She’s better at captures and if they’re tough Pokemon I could use her help.’ 

Isaac raises his blond eyebrows. ‘I see Kate’s been spreading herself rather thin in regard to helping others nowadays.’ 

That stings a little. Kellyn relies on Kate, sure, but he’d never take advantage of her kindness. ‘I’m not falling apart, like Keith apparently is.’ 

‘Well, that’s good.’ He manages to find the paper he’s looking for. ‘They need an Oddish and an Abomasnow, and then they need some electric types too.’ 

‘All right. I’ll be on that.’ He reaches for the list and Isaac pauses. ‘What?’ 

‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you,’ he says sincerely, rubbing his forehead, just between his eyebrows. He always used to do that after studying too hard – although Isaac’s not exactly a student anymore. ‘Kate’s just been going through a tough time, with you being away and all that. I mean, I’m in her corner, but… well, I’m not good at these things.’ 

Kellyn swallows. ‘Yeah. I know. I feel bad about the Fiore mission, but… well, I didn’t have a choice, really. They just sent me there.’ 

‘I know. Guilt is something I’m very good at.’ Isaac smiles wistfully. ‘Sorry if I made things awkward yesterday.’ 

‘Why would things be awkward?’ Kellyn asks as nonchalantly as possible, swallowing again. He remembers the way that Isaac pressed his body against him a little and he wants to hit his head against a wall. It had been so out of the blue, such a shock – it still seems almost unreal now. 

‘Because…’ Isaac face goes bright red, and the Ranger is reminded of how much affection he really has for the young scientist. ‘Well, you know. We kissed. Before you went to Fiore.’ 

Kellyn shrugs. ‘Yeah. I guess I was just really gonna miss you.’ 

*** 

‘It’s been a while since we hung out,’ Kate says, sitting cross-legged opposite Keith on the picnic blanket. One of their favourite things to do was to take a Floatzel each through the Vien Forest to a secluded spot and have a picnic. It was Kate’s day off, and Keith was still on leave. He had all the time in the world, and he still looked odd out of his uniform. 

‘Yeah, I know.’ Keith unwraps his sandwich. ‘I missed it. Guess it’ll happen even less now that Kellyn’s back.’ 

‘Kellyn is actually busy, so that’s not the case.’ She sticks the straw of her juice box in the hole. They are strangely nostalgic to her, and remind her of her childhood, when things seemed much easier. ‘I might have to help out sometimes, but not all the time.’ 

‘You guys are so close,’ Keith says, and Kate wonders if there was a hint of jealousy. ‘I remember it was a nightmare for Ms April to try and split you apart at the Ranger School. You guys even share a room still.’ 

‘Kellyn will get his own room. It’s just for the first few weeks until they find space for him,’ Kate replies, and wonders what will happen then. Will Keith stay in her room with her sometimes? The thought makes her cheeks burn. ‘It’s okay for a bit. It’s been a while since we saw each other.’ 

‘I know. It’s just weird that a brother and sister are so close.’ 

‘What are you trying to say?’ Kate asks sharply. 

Keith backtracks straight away. ‘I didn’t mean it like that! Kellyn’s gay, anyway. I’m just saying, I wasn’t close to any of my siblings at all. Not like you two.’ 

‘We’re twins,’ Kate says simply, as if that’s the explanation. ‘We’re halves of each other. It’s just the way it is.’ 

‘I guess.’ Keith doesn’t quite understand, but he gets the gist. ‘It’s nice to be outside, anyhow. We haven’t done this in a while.’ 

‘I know. I thought it was about time.’ Kate sips from the juice box. ‘Considering you and I are friends again.’ 

Friends? Did she just want to be friends with Keith? She could live with that, sure, but it was a little underwhelming. She tried to imagine other things – kissing that wasn’t in secret, sleeping the same bed… it seemed oddly natural, but since Keith was the one who had initiated both kisses she decided she should probably wait for him to mention it, if he ever did. 

‘I’m still really sorry, Kate. I guess I didn’t think about how difficult it was for you. I never really think about how hard it is for other people, especially you and Rhythmi… it’s something I’m working on.’ Keith clears his throat. ‘So… yeah. I’ll let you know when I get there.’ 

‘It’s all right. It happens.’ 

Kate doesn’t expect everything to be suddenly resolved straight away, but this is a start, and it feels good. 

*** 

Kellyn sits in the common room on the second floor, a notebook in front of him. it’s dark now and the only light he has is from a table lamp and his Styler bleeping away silently. It’s more peaceful at night, but it also gives him too much time to think. 

The door opens and Isaac comes in, rubbing his eyes. He jumps when he sees Kellyn sitting there. ‘Sorry, Kellyn, I didn’t see you. What are still doing up?’ 

‘Trying to come up with a strategy to get that Abomasnow so I don’t have to rely on Kate the whole time. You?’ 

‘Late night in the lab. Needed coffee.’ He bites his lip regretfully. ‘I didn’t mean what I said about Kate. You’re her twin, it’s different.’ 

‘Yeah, I know. But she needs a break.’ Kellyn leans back against the seat, stretching his legs in front of him. ‘That Keith’s a piece of work.’ 

‘He’s just struggling. We all are – some of us are just better at hiding it.’ Isaac smiles vaguely and sits beside him, looking tired in the dim light. For someone with so many pens in his lab coat pocket, he really is cute. ‘Keith will pull through.’ 

‘Will you?’ Kellyn asks anxiously, because Isaac looks different. The thirst for knowledge is still there, sure, but there’s a hesitation in him. He’s grown up a lot, and it’s almost a shame. He’s weathered tough storms for such a shy, sensitive kid, and it shows. ‘You look kind of… tired. In a good way, obviously.’ 

Isaac chuckles. ‘I don’t sleep a lot now. I think – I think Operation Brighton, and everything that happened before, changed us all. It definitely changed me. I was so fucking misguided,’ he sighs, running his fingers through his hair, which still slightly resembles a mushroom. Isaac must be mad, especially if he’s swearing. ‘I really messed up, Kellyn. The guilt eats me alive. The Incredible Machine was mine. I designed it. I made it. I made the whole thing possible.’ 

‘Yeah, true, but you didn’t know.’ 

‘I didn’t know because I didn’t pay attention to what was really in front of me. God, how could I have been so blind?’ Isaac shakes his head and scrapes his nails along the material of his trousers. ‘I almost enslaved all the Pokemon in Almia. I almost destroyed the entire region. I believed everything Kincaid said – it should have been obvious that it was too good to be true.’ 

‘Kincaid made the whole thing fucking possible. Bastard,’ Kellyn spits, remembering how he’d pulled the Kingston Valve and almost drowned his sister. ‘I hope he has a shitty time in prison. Still, what was it he called you?’ He thinks hard. ‘A boy genius? Yeah, that’s it.’ 

‘”The kind that comes along once a century,”’ Isaac mimics, seeming almost disgusted. ‘I try to tell myself I’m doing the right thing by reforming Altru and helping the Union, but I don’t know if I’ll ever repay my debt.’ 

‘There’s no debt, Isaac. You did your bit. We all did.’ Kellyn remembers Barlow punching out the beam that held him captive, and the way Isaac had thrown his arms around Kellyn’s neck. Well, he’d hugged Kate too, but he hugged Kellyn harder. ‘Obviously we all wish it had never happened, but it did. We have to move on from that. It’s the past.’ 

‘At least you’ve been away from it all,’ Isaac replies, envy in his voice. 

‘I didn’t want to be,’ the Ranger tells him, resting his chin on his hands. ‘I wanted to be here. I needed to be with Kate. And you.’ 

There’s a long silence after that, but surprisingly it’s Isaac who breaks it. His voice wobbles as he speaks, as if he’s not quite sure what he’s saying. ‘Kellyn?’ 

‘Yeah?’ 

‘You know… before you left for Fiore? When – when you-know-what happened… what did it mean?’ 

Kellyn exhales slowly. He’s not sure if he’s really up to such a question at this time in the evening, but it might be the only time Isaac ever wants to talk about it. They might as well get it out in the open, unlike Kate and Keith who only seem to dance around the elephant in the room the more time goes on. 

‘Well, I don’t know. It was something I wanted to do at the time. I was sort of scared if I didn’t do it then, I might not be able to.’ He pushes his hair back from his face. ‘You kissed me back. So it meant something to you, too.’ 

Isaac fidgets. ‘Yes, I suppose so.’ 

There’s another silence. 

‘Why’d you never write back?’ Kellyn asks suddenly, remembering that he’d written in the first month or so and never heard back. Isaac seems to shrink into his seat. 

‘I’m sorry, Kellyn.’ 

‘You don’t need to be sorry, idiot, I just wanted to know why. Did me kissing you upset you or something?’ 

‘No! No, it wasn’t that, I just… I really, really had a hard time after Operation Brighton,’ the blond male admits. ‘It’s not easy even now. I had to work a lot – I barely slept. I was running on coffee and protein bars. I couldn’t stop because then I’d remember what I’d done. I barely get time to see Melody – even Kate finds the time to visit her.’ 

‘I’m sure she understands, Isaac.’ The brunette leans forward, elbows on his knees. Isaac glances at his side profile, wondering when Kellyn became less of a boy and so much of a man. ‘I understand, anyway.’ 

‘I messed up so badly, Kellyn.’ Isaac’s voice cracks, and the Ranger’s heart softens. Everything always softened around Isaac – his heart, his face, everything. He was the kind of guy you couldn’t be mean to, like ever. ‘I really did. Everyone talks about my intelligence as if it’s a good thing, but only I know what it’s capable of.’ 

‘Well, as long as you don’t go rogue and do a Blake Hall, I’m sure we’ll survive,’ Kellyn laughs shakily, straightening up. ‘Hey, look. You switched sides at the right time. You’re on the side of the angels, right?’ 

Isaac nods, and he looks so sorrowful that he reaches out to put his arm around him, if a little awkwardly. There’s a sob, and then he puts both arms closely around the scientist, squeezing tightly. It seems to be enough – Isaac’s fingers cling to Kellyn’s shirt, and they stay like that for a while, swaying slightly, as if time has stopped, and they’re the only ones there in the entire world in that one moment. 

‘It’ll be all right,’ Kellyn says, as Isaac sniffs embarrassedly and wipes his nose on his sleeve, and then leans in and – 

The trying-not-to-make-it-awkward is over. He’s kissed him, and there’s nowhere to go now but forward, yet Kellyn still pulls back, shaking his head. ‘No, sorry, I didn’t mean to – not when you’re so-’ 

‘No,’ Isaac says fiercely, hands grabbing Kellyn’s collar. ‘I mean, yes. Kiss me. Please.’ 

And there it is. It was going to happen sooner or later, he tells himself, as his lips catch Kellyn’s in a hard kiss, driving them apart with the force of it. There was nothing really gentle about it. Kellyn felt his foot bump against Isaac’s as he shifts, pressing the blond against the wood of the arm of the couch, taking his face between his hands. Every thought in his head explodes to a pure, pounding white, and he feels the dark curl of desire begin to twist inside him, bending all the rules, snapping that last trembling bit of restraint. Kellyn tries one last time to pull away, because he feels bad. It shouldn’t be this way for Isaac, it should be slow and – 

‘Please,’ Isaac begs, bringing his lips back to the Ranger’s. It was better than before on the dock, because this time it was real – Kellyn slides his hands under Isaac’s lab coat to press him closer. The low groan at the back of his throat, a small, pleading noise that set every inch of Isaac’s skin on fire. ‘I don’t think – I don’t think I want to do that right now, but-’ 

Kellyn stares. ‘Obviously, Isaac, I’m not gonna – I just wanted to kiss you. Besides, you did ask me to. Look, what’s… what’s really between us, Isaac?’ 

There’s a moment where Isaac seems to contemplate his future – his lonely future where he works himself to death and ultimately ends up alone, and he knows that he doesn’t want that. He lifts his head and kisses Kellyn again. That’s right – there was nothing between them but air.


End file.
